Understand The Times, International

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."

Comment:

If you are unclear what the doctrine of salvation means from a Christian perspective, then I would recommend you carefully study these four verses. Every human born into this world as children of Adam, were born with a sin nature. As God is holy and perfect, this means that it is impossible to please God by any works that we may accomplish. As it states in Isaiah chapter 64 verse 6: �But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.� Salvation is based on the finished work of the cross, recognizing who Jesus is and what He has done. Salvation is by faith in Him and His works alone.

Application:

Many who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ, do not follow the words that the Apostle Paul wrote instructing the Romans about the gift of salvation. It is the natural tendency for human beings to do something in order to please God and win His favor that plagues mankind. The only possible way to be justified and forgiven from sin is to realize there is absolutely nothing that humans can do by their own works. Jesus Christ is the Creator and the Redeemer. The One who created all things hung on a cross and shed His blood as a sacrifice for sin for all those who would simply by faith, believe in Him.